Introduction

Youth & Adult Literacy Rates Datasets Link

Literacy rates refer to the percentage of individuals aged 15 and above who can read and write with understanding a short, simple statement on their everyday life. The dataset, available on Kaggle as two CSV files, delves into the literacy rates among youth and adults across diverse regions and countries. This extensive repository serves as a valuable resource for comprehending the literacy landscape, offering insights into various demographics such as age groups, genders, and geographical areas. Its multifaceted nature enables in-depth analyses, facilitating comparisons among regions, countries, and demographic segments. The dataset’s potential extends beyond raw figures; it stands as a crucial tool for policymakers, illustrating areas requiring targeted interventions to support literacy rates.

I chose this data because I’ve seen people around me who struggle with reading and writing. It made me curious about how things are now. I hope it can show where we need to do more to help people learn these important skills better.

Data Preparation

Load packages to be used

  • library(dplyr): using for data manipulation

  • library(tidyverse): using to transform and better present data

  • library(ggplot2): using for data visualization and plotting charts

  • library(plotly): using for creating interactive web-based graphs

  • library(knitr): using for formatting tables

  • library(kableExtra): using for formatting tables and manipulate table styles

## Warning: package 'tidyverse' was built under R version 4.3.2
## Warning: package 'kableExtra' was built under R version 4.3.2
## Warning: package 'knitr' was built under R version 4.3.2

Reading in Data

Reads csv files from a sub-folder to be examine & glimpse of data of 2 csv files

## Rows: 4,955
## Columns: 7
## $ index           <dbl> 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, …
## $ Region          <chr> "Central and Southern Asia", "Central and Southern Asi…
## $ Country         <chr> "Afghanistan", "Afghanistan", "Afghanistan", "Afghanis…
## $ Year            <dbl> 2011, 2011, 2011, 2011, 2011, 2011, 2011, 2011, 2011, …
## $ Age             <chr> "15+", "15+", "15+", "15-24", "15-24", "15-24", "25-64…
## $ Gender          <chr> "female", "male", "total", "female", "male", "total", …
## $ `Literacy rate` <dbl> 0.1761206, 0.4541710, 0.3174112, 0.3211322, 0.6187907,…
## Rows: 202
## Columns: 9
## $ Country                           <chr> "Afghanistan", "Albania", "Algeria",…
## $ Region                            <chr> "SA", "ECA", "MENA", "ECA", "SSA", "…
## $ `Sub-region`                      <chr> NA, "EECA", NA, "WE", "ESA", NA, NA,…
## $ `Least developed countries (LDC)` <chr> "LDC", NA, NA, NA, "LDC", NA, NA, NA…
## $ `Africa sub-regions`              <chr> NA, NA, "Northern Africa", NA, "Sout…
## $ `Africa region`                   <chr> NA, NA, "All", NA, "All", NA, NA, NA…
## $ Total                             <dbl> 43, 98, 81, NA, NA, NA, NA, 99, NA, …
## $ Male                              <dbl> 55, 99, 87, NA, NA, NA, NA, 99, NA, …
## $ Female                            <dbl> 30, 98, 75, NA, NA, NA, NA, 99, NA, …

Countries with Higest Literacy rate

Following table provides the highest literacy rates of top 10 countries.

Country Name Mean Literacy Rate
Ukraine 1.000
Uzbekistan 0.999
San Marino 0.999
Latvia 0.999
Estonia 0.999
Lithuania 0.998
Kazakhstan 0.997
Belarus 0.997
Russian Federation 0.997
Cuba 0.996

Countries with Lowest Literacy rate

Following table provides the lowest literacy rates of 10 countries.

Country Name Mean Literacy Rate
Chad 0.217
Guinea 0.259
Niger 0.278
Mali 0.308
South Sudan 0.308
Sierra Leone 0.333
Burkina Faso 0.334
Benin 0.335
Afghanistan 0.348
Central African Republic 0.371

The comparison of the highest literacy rates among the top 10 countries and the lowest literacy rates among another set of 10 countries highlights a stark contrast in educational achievements globally. The disparity between these two groups underscores the need for increased support and focused efforts to uplift literacy rates, particularly in regions or countries with lower rates. Examining the top 10 countries with the highest literacy rates offers valuable insight and can provide valuable benchmarks and best practices that could potentially be adopted or adapted by other countries improve their literacy rates. The identification of the bottom 10 countries in terms of literacy rates serves as a crucial reminder of the challenges faced by these regions. It emphasizes the urgency of implementing targeted interventions and comprehensive educational initiatives to uplift literacy levels.

Literacy rates of different age groups by year

Mean literacy rates by age group

The chart below shows that on average 64 and younger have higher literacy rate.

The analysis of the literacy rates based on age groups reveals a significant correlation between age and literacy across various regions and countries. The data illustrates that the age factor plays a crucial role in determining literacy levels, especially evident in the consistently lower literacy rates among individuals aged 65 and above compared to other age brackets. The dataset further highlights a categorization based on age groups, specifically focusing on the 15+ category, which encompasses individuals aged 15 and above. The variability in how countries collect and present their data regarding literacy rates is evident in the diverse age ranges used for data input. Some nations might report literacy rates under the broad category of 15+, while others might provide a breakdown into more specific age groups like 15-24 or 25-64.

Now, lets examine and break down by region. # Progress of a Region’s literacy rate over time

Analyzing literacy rates by region reveals intriguing trends, yet it also exposes inconsistencies in data reliability, particularly in certain regions where the data fluctuates significantly from year to year. This inconsistency poses a challenge when attempting to draw consistent conclusions or trends for these regions.

Breaking down the data into charts for each region allows for a more granular examination, highlighting distinct patterns and fluctuations. For instance, regions like Sub-Saharan Africa exhibit considerable variability in literacy rates from year to year.

Progress of a Region’s literacy rate over time

while regional breakdowns offer valuable insights into literacy rate trends, the variability and inconsistency within certain regions underscore the need for more detailed analyses and a comprehensive understanding of the underlying factors contributing to these fluctuations.

Literacy rates by country of Sub-Saharan Africa Region

Sub-Saharan Africa Region

Literacy Rate Analysis
Country Name Year Mean Literacy Rate
Angola 2014 0.589
Benin 2012 0.301
Benin 2018 0.368
Botswana 2013 0.775
Botswana 2014 0.784
Burkina Faso 2014 0.308
Burkina Faso 2018 0.360
Burundi 2014 0.556
Burundi 2017 0.624
Cabo Verde 2012 0.763
Cabo Verde 2015 0.781
Cameroon 2010 0.624
Cameroon 2018 0.699
Central African Republic 2010 0.370
Central African Republic 2018 0.371
Chad 2015 0.235
Chad 2016 0.199
Comoros 2012 0.441
Comoros 2018 0.514
Congo 2011 0.785
Congo 2018 0.794
Côte d’Ivoire 2012 0.383
Côte d’Ivoire 2014 0.389
Côte d’Ivoire 2018 0.425
Democratic Republic of the Congo 2012 0.700
Democratic Republic of the Congo 2016 0.717
Equatorial Guinea 2010 0.872
Equatorial Guinea 2014 0.888
Eritrea 2018 0.685
Ethiopia 2017 0.456
Gabon 2012 0.788
Gabon 2018 0.816
Gambia 2013 0.371
Gambia 2015 0.468
Ghana 2010 0.656
Ghana 2018 0.744
Guinea 2010 0.220
Guinea 2014 0.297
Guinea-Bissau 2014 0.418
Kenya 2014 0.745
Kenya 2018 0.770
Lesotho 2014 0.720
Liberia 2017 0.459
Madagascar 2012 0.672
Madagascar 2018 0.717
Malawi 2010 0.575
Malawi 2014 0.612
Malawi 2015 0.581
Mali 2010 0.284
Mali 2011 0.305
Mali 2015 0.308
Mali 2018 0.335
Mauritania 2017 0.493
Mauritius 2011 0.859
Mauritius 2012 0.918
Mauritius 2013 0.915
Mauritius 2014 0.925
Mauritius 2015 0.927
Mauritius 2016 0.932
Mauritius 2018 0.901
Mozambique 2015 0.515
Mozambique 2017 0.556
Namibia 2011 0.822
Namibia 2018 0.893
Niger 2012 0.278
Nigeria 2018 0.558
Rwanda 2010 0.604
Rwanda 2012 0.604
Rwanda 2014 0.626
Rwanda 2018 0.655
Sao Tome and Principe 2012 0.823
Sao Tome and Principe 2018 0.860
Senegal 2011 0.484
Senegal 2013 0.397
Senegal 2017 0.483
Seychelles 2010 0.899
Seychelles 2018 0.928
Sierra Leone 2013 0.296
Sierra Leone 2018 0.370
South Africa 2010 0.882
South Africa 2011 0.885
South Africa 2012 0.892
South Africa 2014 0.899
South Africa 2015 0.904
South Africa 2017 0.813
South Sudan 2018 0.308
Swaziland 2010 0.761
Swaziland 2018 0.822
Togo 2011 0.537
Togo 2015 0.575
Uganda 2010 0.660
Uganda 2012 0.640
Uganda 2018 0.703
United Republic of Tanzania 2010 0.654
United Republic of Tanzania 2012 0.716
United Republic of Tanzania 2015 0.714
Zambia 2010 0.768
Zambia 2018 0.817
Zimbabwe 2011 0.796
Zimbabwe 2014 0.876

Literacy rates of Year 2011 & 2013 of Sub-Saharan Africa Region

Country Name Year Mean Literacy Rate
Congo 2011 0.785
Mali 2011 0.305
Mauritius 2011 0.859
Namibia 2011 0.822
Senegal 2011 0.484
South Africa 2011 0.885
Togo 2011 0.537
Zimbabwe 2011 0.796
Country Name Year Mean Literacy Rate
Botswana 2013 0.775
Gambia 2013 0.371
Mauritius 2013 0.915
Senegal 2013 0.397
Sierra Leone 2013 0.296

Literacy rates of countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Asia Region

Eastern and South-Eastern Asia Region

Literacy Rate Analysis
Country Name Year Mean Literacy Rate
Brunei Darussalam 2011 0.887
Brunei Darussalam 2018 0.934
Cambodia 2014 0.733
Cambodia 2015 0.767
China 2010 0.915
China 2018 0.951
China, Macao Special Administrative Region 2011 0.915
China, Macao Special Administrative Region 2016 0.940
Indonesia 2011 0.876
Indonesia 2014 0.907
Indonesia 2015 0.903
Indonesia 2016 0.906
Indonesia 2018 0.917
Lao People’s Democratic Republic 2011 0.544
Lao People’s Democratic Republic 2015 0.800
Malaysia 2010 0.863
Malaysia 2016 0.882
Mongolia 2010 0.975
Mongolia 2018 0.982
Myanmar 2016 0.739
Philippines 2013 0.952
Philippines 2015 0.975
Singapore 2010 0.926
Singapore 2011 0.981
Singapore 2012 0.979
Singapore 2013 0.980
Singapore 2014 0.981
Singapore 2015 0.950
Singapore 2016 0.983
Singapore 2017 0.980
Singapore 2018 0.981
Thailand 2010 0.958
Thailand 2013 0.913
Thailand 2015 0.913
Timor-Leste 2010 0.504
Timor-Leste 2018 0.580
Viet Nam 2018 0.939

Male & Female Literacy rate by region

Region Male Female
Central and Southern Asia 0.776 0.660
Eastern and South-Eastern Asia 0.915 0.851
Europe and Northern America 0.986 0.973
Latin America and the Caribbean 0.917 0.897
Northern Africa and Western Asia 0.895 0.807
Oceania 0.921 0.903
Sub-Saharan Africa 0.691 0.545

Countries with High Female Literacy rate

Country Male Female Difference
Malta 93 96 -3
Mongolia 98 99 -1
Seychelles 95 96 -1
Eswatini 88 89 -1
Uruguay 98 99 -1
Argentina 99 99 0
Belarus 100 100 0
Brazil 93 93 0
Colombia 95 95 0
Costa Rica 98 98 0

Countries with Low Female Literacy rate

Country Male Female Difference
Afghanistan 55 30 25
Central African Republic 50 26 24
Benin 54 31 23
Mali 46 26 20
Nepal 79 60 19
Morocco 83 65 18
Nigeria 71 53 18
Burkina Faso 50 33 17
Sierra Leone 52 35 17
India 82 66 16

Male & Female Literacy rate over time

Summary

The gender gap in literacy rates has been persistently evident over the years, showing a consistent gap between males and females. This longstanding trend underscores the necessity for targeted initiatives aimed at literacy among female. Additionally, there appears to be a crucial need for literacy programs specifically tailored for individuals aged 65 and above, acknowledging their unique learning needs and ensuring inclusivity across all age groups. One fundamental challenge highlighted in the dataset analysis is the inconsistency in data collection methods and accuracy across different years. This inconsistency poses a significant barrier in making accurate year-to-year comparisons and drawing conclusive insights. To facilitate more reliable and comprehensive analyses, there is a pressing need for standardized data collection protocols to be implemented consistently across regions and countries.